Bill would exempt some from publication of name changes

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This article was published 09/04/2024 (893 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A bill that would exempt some transgender and other members of the LGBTTQ+ community from having a legal notice published when they change their name was introduced Tuesday.

Bill 33, the Change of Name Amendment Act, would exempt transgender, two-spirit, non-binary and gender-diverse people from having their names published in the Manitoba Gazette if the reason for the change relates to their gender identity.

Once a name change has been approved by Vital Statistics, the person’s new name, former name and city or town of residence are published in the Gazette.

There is already an option to request that the publication be waived if it would “cause undue hardship” or “would be contrary to the public interest,” or if the applicant has been “commonly known” by the new name. The province said in a news release that the option is an unnecessary barrier for some LGBTTQ+ people that can cause “harm” and “could even lead to further discrimination or harassment.”

The amendment would also update the Change of Name Act to use gender-neutral language.